Finding Beauty in Unexpected Places, Day 8: Students & Teachers

When we graduated from Mount Mercy, my advisor, Jim McKean, gave the commencement speech. I don't remember much of what he said, but I do remember that he encouraged the graduates to "drop your old professors a letter once in a while. We really appreciate it." I thought of his sentiment when I wrote him a letter in honor of his retirement last year. And I thought of it again yesterday when I had to opportunity to read some letters that my former students had written about me and their experiences in my classroom.

I just want to affirm what Jim said, "drop your old professors a letter once in a while. We really appreciate it." It's so easy to forget to thank your teachers or to tell them that you really enjoy your time in their classroom. For me at least, teachers were always my heroes. They seem so strong, confident, and smart. You don't realize that they get nervous, wonder if each session was "good enough," and are so desperate to do right by you and your education, and you don't realize that a simple "thanks" at the end of the semester makes everything worth it. And sometimes, you don't realize how formative your time in their classroom was until years down the road. I, for example, desperately want to try to find the woman who was brave enough to take her high school sophomores to an afternoon showing of Dead Man Walking. I can't help but think that experience had some influence on the person I am today.

So if there's a teacher in your life that had a big influence, think about dropping him or her a note. He or she will appreciate it.